Stoby’s winning streak continues with Dive BVI 10K series

The lead pack of Guy Williamson, Reuben Stoby and Julius Farley, after breaking away from the field. Photo: Todd VanSickle

Rueben Stoby extended his winning streak to Saturday’s Dive BVI 10K Series race – the first of two races on different segments of the Virgin Gorda Half Marathon course – as a means of familiarizing runners for the May 9 race, for which 51 have already pre registered.

The next race will be on the tougher and scenic northern segment of the course including climbs to Nail Bay.

Stoby led Guy Williamson and Julius Farley to the line in 40 minutes and 16 seconds on a tour of southern Virgin Gorda, including the historic Coppermine. Williamson finished in 40:59 and Farley in 41:17.

“It was a pretty challenging course and my plan was not to go hard and I wasn’t familiar with the course either so I wanted to conserve as much as possible, since I didn’t know what to expect,” Stoby explained. “In case I ran off course, I wanted to stick with the guys just to make sure I knew where I was going. Not taking anything away from them, I know they can run the 10K very well, so I was careful not to go too early.”

Not being familiar with the full course, Stoby who ran 17:41 in the Dive BVI 5K last month, said he along with Williamson and Farley were playing a little cat and mouse to see who would take the lead. “I wasn’t going to do that,” Stoby quickly interjected, noting that he didn’t make his move until they were heading downhill from the Bregado Flax Educational Center. “I decided to make a run and see what happened. The guys chased a bit, but surprisingly, they didn’t hold on for the last 800m.”

Williamson said it was good to see Stoby back on island racing and he has upped the game. “It was a strong pace pretty much the whole course and it’s tough on the hills when you’re pushing that course as well,” he noted. “Between myself, Stoby and Farley, we pushed hard. Then with about 800m, Stoby took off, I tried to chase him down and I couldn’t quite do it.”

NiMade Oniasih won the women’s division in 51:40 and was followed by Kay Reddy (54:45) and Casey McNutt in 56:32.